Running in Place
by IrissenNii
Summary: AU! Planet earth. This is were Rose Tyler was born, but not really. The first nineteen years of her life, nothing happened. Nothing at all, not ever. Except for her dreams about the Wolf, a woman with many faces. She is haunted by a war of time itself. But it's means nothing and then she met the Doctor. Suddenly the Wolf is less of a fantasy than Rose Tyler ever was. Rose/Doctor.
1. Howling Dreams

**Title: Running in Place.**

**Author: IrissenNii.**

**Summery: Planet earth. This is were Rose Tyler was born, but not really. The first nineteen years of her life, nothing happened. Nothing at all, not ever. Except for her dreams about the Wolf, a woman with many faces. She is haunted by a war of time itself. But it's means nothing and then she met the Doctor. Suddenly the Wolf is less of a fantasy than Rose Tyler ever was. Rose/Doctor.**

**Pairings: Rose/Doctor.**

**Warnings: AU! Maybe some harsh language, Violence.**

**AN: Rewrite of Series 1 and 2.**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own anything you recognize.**

**Beta: Veratican Justice**

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**Running in Place I  
****Howling Dreams**

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_Some become inspired, some run away, and some go mad. Every step she took brought her a bit closer to this terrifying fate, but there was no escape. It was tradition. At the age of eight children were taken from their families to be initiated into the academy. Truth be told, she was absolutely terrified._

_"Come along now girl," the counselor said, giving her a push._

_So there she stood, frozen to the ground in black initiation robes. Her whole body shook, while she tried to mentally prepare herself, but time was up. The moment was here, this was the start of her first hour, the path to become a real Time Lady. At last she came to a stop, standing upon the Seal of Rassilon. The Untempered Schism, a tear in the fabric of reality, the time vortex. She took a deep breath and looked. For a moment she could see everything. All that was, all that is, and all that ever could be. She could feel the turn of the planet in her tiny body. Falling through space as they clung to the skin of their shining world. Entranced, she gasped, new knowledge burned in her mind, shaping all the possibilities her life could offer. For the first time in her young life she saw the flux of time and it's fixed points. It was then she realized her lifetime was just breaking dawn and everything flashed forward in her first look of eternity._

_She would burn like the sun and howl at the moon. __**Bad Wolf.**_

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Rose Tyler woke up with a loud gasp. Clumsily, she fumbled with her nightlight. _It was just a dream_, she tried to reassure herself for the umpteenth time. Finally after some unhandy grabbling in the dark she found the light switch. Rose let out a relieved sigh and fell back in her soft pillows. She was on planet Earth, the place where she - Rose Tyler - was born and for the past nineteen years nothing happened. Nothing at all, not ever. Except for those constant dreams about a girl with many faces. But it means nothing. Because in the end, dreams were just what they were, figments of the imagination. Tentatively, she turned her head left, the digital clock displayed her worst nightmare all over again;_ it was 04.44 AM_. She always woke up on the same hour after having those particular dreams about the girl with many faces. It scared her. Just be sure she checked the date on her cellphone, an old Nokia. _The communication technology of this age is really primitive _though. What! Old, primitive - her mobile was only two years old. Most of her mates had the same model.

"That's it, I'm still knackered," she mumbled wearily. Rose had suffered from blackouts since she was a little girl, but these out of body experiences were occurring more frequently as time passed. Often she would catch herself saying something completely outrageous and that didn't make any sense whatsoever. Jackie Tyler, her mum never fussed, but only gave a knowing smile whenever it happened. "Friday, the fourth of March, two thousand five," she whispered. "See, no time vortex or time travel. Just plain old Earth."

Frustrated she threw her cell phone back on the nightstand. Sleep, she needed sleep. Calm thoughts always helped, if she managed to compose herself. In the end she was only winding herself up, maybe she was only having those dreams because of her rather mundane life. She was just Rose Tyler after all, with no A-levels or no future. But she was loved, very much so. Pete and Jackie Tyler had adopted her when she was a baby, perhaps that was the cause of her lively imagination and haunting dreams. Her life was average.

In the corner of her eye she saw something shine, a gold pocket watch. Had that been lying there the whole time? Cautiously she placed the watch in the palm of her hand. It had a golden color with little flowers engraved on it and a pink center. The middle had strange circles drawn into, they seemed random and yet so significant. A howling sound roared through her ears, startled Rose let the fob watch slip out of her hand. Sleep, she needed rest. Automatically, she flicked of her nightlight and laid back down.

_**They say once you start running, you can never stop.**_

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**Yeah, I deleted this and reuploaded it, but this time it's beta'ed by my dear friend Veratican Justice and I really want to finish this fanfic, so I decided to give it priority over Child of Rome which is currently on Hiatus because lack of ideas.  
Please let me know what you think, reviews are very much appreciated. **


	2. Rose Tyler, No More

******I don't own anything, everything belongs to it's respective owners.**  
Beta'ed by Veratican Justice

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**RUNNING IN PLACE II  
****Rose Tyler, No More**

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Time and Relative Dimension in Space or TARDIS was the name of the beast she just boarded. She was going to travel in time and space in something that looked like a wooden blue police box. It was likely the most eccentric spaceship in the universe and that was without mentioning her pilot. Wait, _her _pilot? When did she start referring to the box as female and how did she know it's gender? Anyway, the Doctor - the driver of TARDIS was unusual, strange, maybe a lunatic and just plain weird. So in a nutshell, it was going to be absolutely brilliant and to think she turned him down the first time he invited her. Bless second chances.

"Right then, Rose Tyler," the Doctor said, tossing up a red ball in the air. "You tell me, where do you want to go? Backwards or forwards in time, what's it going to be?"

"Definitely forwards," she told him, stepping closer to the console. He placed the ball on the control panel and pressed a few buttons, smiling softly. "What?" she inquired.

"Thank you for coming with me voluntarily," he said gravely. The Doctor had a pained look on his face. "Kidnapping humans never ends up well. They always end up making such a fuss."

"Kidnapping me," she said, horrified. "Okay, I've had enough of this already."

"I accidentally kidnapped my first two companions, Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright. Lovely people, but still stupid apes in the end," he chattered on, completely ignoring her.

"What!" Rose wheezed as she watched him dancing around the console, pulling another lever on his way.

"But not you - whatever your name is," he said after pausing directly in front of her nose. "That answer we will only find in here!" he said brightly, pulling a fob watch out of his leather coat pocket.

"What?" she asked again, staggering backwards. That watch, she recognized it's design. It was hers. _How did he get that? _Rose panicked. No matter, she had to get out of here. She ran towards the door, fully intending to open it.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he scolded. "I'd wait until you're fully you again and even then I wouldn't recommend it. Looking in the Untempered Schism at the age of eight is more than enough to last all lifetimes."

"The time vortex," she breathed anxiously. It was reliving her dreams all over again. "Time Lord, you're a Time Lord," she whispered in defeat. A howl roared in her ears.

"Fantastic," the Doctor laughed maniacally. "The knowledge is just bleeding through, I wonder how long she has been in that watch. Must be pretty cramped, such a tiny space for her mind," he added thoughtfully. "And do you hear that howling- beautiful."

A flabbergasted Rose followed the rapid jumping between moods. Forget lunatic, the Doctor was a regular Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in his own right. She stood with her back pressed against the coral walls of the TARDIS, edging away ever so slightly from the devilish watch. Mr. Hyde was practically shoving it in her face.

"Well Rose Tyler you were fantastic, but it's time to say goodbye," the Doctor said opening the watch.

"Wait," she screamed, only it was too late. The gold light, the entity of a Time Lady was already surrounding her. Rose Tyler was going to die, nineteen years worth of living was going to wiped out and she was going to be replaced by the girl with many faces. The Doctor didn't even seem to care, he was ecstatic and his eyes were twinkling. _Gone is the sound of silence, _was the only thought in his head.

The human, Rose Tyler cried her final tears.

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She gasped for air, it wasn't burning. _Why wasn't it burning? _The energy was rewriting her biology. It didn't burn like the first time, but every single cell in her body was changing. There it was; her second heart, pumping in the hollow of her right thorax. _Thorax_, _what a nice word and very big one at that too, _she mused happily. Oh, there it was again. The mind was expanding and her dreams became memories. Lovely, she'd actually never forgot anything. Bit scary though.

Nineteen years old, this body was nineteen years old. Blimey, she started out as a baby, a bit boring though taking the slow path. A baby. She didn't even know what she looked like!

"Legs," she said looking down. "I've still got legs," she told the Doctor hopping madly up and down on the spot.

He leaned against the TARDIS console feeling very satisfied. It was fantastic, he could feel her right up there in his mind. This unknown Time Ladies mind was softly nudging him. Not on purpose, since she was slightly frantic, but the feeling was not unwelcome.

"I wonder," she said. "How tall I am, I regenerated in a baby before. How mad is that?"

"Can't imagine it, never gone younger than thirty in human years," he said happily.

"Very slow," she added absentmindedly. Her eyes started to wander, the interior of this TARDIS was very organic. She loved it.

"What?"

"Growing up, it was _very slow_. You know taking the slow path," she explained as if she talking to a child. "And I still want to know how tall I am." Her eyes landed on the TARDIS door. Perfect. Happily she bounced towards the entrance. "Doors are generally 6.5 feet tall. In Belgium, that is."

"You're a genius," he stated dryly. Still is was rather fun to see the Time Lady run her gob and she was only stating facts. The average door in Belgium was 6.5 feet tall.

"Aren't we all?" she asked astonished. "Time Lords, I mean."

"You were very human less than five minutes ago," the Doctor carefully reminded her. He winced internally, he had technically killed her off around the same time. She was very energetic at the moment, but this could easily explode in his face.

"Human," she ran her tongue over her teeth. " I have teeth now," she added. "Human!" she repeated loudly. "Like these ghastly clothes I'm wearing. Very bland," she said referring to Rose's grey and purple colored hoodie. "Where is your wardrobe?"

"The wardrobe?" he asked confused. "First left, second right, third on the left, go straight ahead, under the stairs, past the bins, it's the fifth on your left."

She nodded happily and took off again. The Doctor watched and smiled at her disappearing back. This life was always better with two.

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"Hello, could you help me!" she cried desperately at the TARDIS. This wardrobe was big, a proper walk-in closet and this girl didn't know were to start. She just needed to get out of these bland clothes Rose Tyler used to wear. "Oh," she said, pleasantly surprised. She was still Rose Tyler. Well, with a bigger brain and about five hundred years more life experience, which unfortunately included the horrifying memories of the Last Time War. But what made her tick was Rose Tyler. "I am Rose Tyler," Rose said smiling brightly.

There was a hum from the TARDIS, a path lit up towards the proper section.

"Thanks love," Rose said skipping about. She was quiet bouncy in this body, but it was just because of the after shock of regeneration. Since she technically passed over that part, side effect of using a Chameleon Arc on new body. The after shock and she was having hers nineteen years later. Because she was going to kill that Doctor once it ended. How dare he kill her off, she wasn't going back to fight in that war. She had nothing left on Gallifrey and she was not fighting that war again even if it meant the end of the universe. Selfish as it was, Rose didn't care. Damn that Doctor for ruining her mood. The TARDIS let out a indignant hum. "I'm sorry love, I know he's your pilot," Rose apologized.

There was an immense amount of textures available on the shelves and hangers. Mindlessly she let her hand wander over it, lace. She started rummaging through the closet, this girl knew exactly what she wanted to wear. Grey skinny jeans, a fluffy crop sweater and a white lace tank.

"Lovely," she said appraisingly of her own physique. The clothes made her look a bit older and the mint green was really working on her. She was blond again with brown eyes. "I'm quite pretty," Rose confirmed. "Now shoes and something to pull my hair up in a bun."

_Yes, still Rose Tyler with better taste, _she thought after putting on a pair of wedge booties.

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"You done then?" the Doctor asked as she stepped back into the control room. He was waiting for her, lounging on the only jump seat in the room. "Girly moment over?" Rose ignored him, she wanted to go home. "Right, definitely forwards you said about half and hour ago. How far?" he asked as he pressed a few buttons.

"Earth," she told him firmly. "I'm not going back to Gallifrey. I'm done fighting that war."

The Doctor was speechless. _What? _She didn't know what he had done. This Time Lady thought there still was a Gallifrey. He couldn't tell her, not yet. The Doctor rabidly started pushing more buttons and pulling all sort of random levers around the console. The ship lurched to a stop. "Ten thousand years in the future. Step outside, it's the year 12005, the New Roman Empire," he presented in the hope of distracting her. His eagerness made Rose roll her eyes.

"You think you're so impressive," she said sarcastically. Ten thousand years was nothing.

"I am so impressive!" he stated. She burst into laughter, she just couldn't help it that outraged look on his face. Perhaps humans were easier to impress than your own kind, since time travel was nothing new to her. He stared at her for a moment, a little gleam appeared in his eyes. "Right then, you asked for it. I know exactly were to go." he started up the engines and began pumping a lever furiously. "Hold on!"

The familiar feeling of the TARDIS hurtling throughout the time vortex overtook her. Then, they stopped and with a ping. The Doctor stood before her grinning broadly.

"What have you done?" Rose asked curiously. "Where are we?" she was genuinely excited. Butterflies were madly fly around in her belly. He gestures towards the doors. She smiles. "What's out there?" The Doctor gestures again. Rose bit her lip, running towards the door. She was giddy with excitement and realized this was her first recreational time travel trip. "This better not be Gallifrey," she said warningly before opening the door and walking out into a gallery. The sight was kind of disappointing, she stepped out of a wooded blue police box into a wooden room.

The Doctor quickly followed her out and used the sonic screwdriver to open the shutters of the enormous window. They walked down the steps and this time the sight definitely didn't disappoint. Her breath was taken away, planet Earth in all it glory with it's burning sun. _Was it dying?_

_"_The humans, they spend all their time thinking about dying. Like they are going to get killed by eggs or beef or global warming or asteroids. But they never take time to imagine the impossible. Maybe they survive," he said seriously. This his way of telling her their planet was gone without saying it. Two survivors, finding her hidden in that human form had made him more hopeful than he'd been in years. "This is the year 5.5/apple/26. Five billion years in your future. This is the day… Hold on," he looks at his watch. "This is the day the sun expands. Welcome to the end of the world."

He desperately needed her to see this, to understand it. This woman was fond of planet Earth, she'd spend nineteen years on it. Maybe this way he could explain what happened.

"What, no room for pears in the year," Rose asked teasingly.

"Now don't joke about that," the Doctor said seriously. "Pears are disgusting, bananas are so much better." She raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Good source of potassium."

"The universe doesn't seem to agree," she snorted. "They like apples," she said cheekily.

"Apples could work," he smiled. Rose giggled, maybe she would put off killing the Doctor for a little while. He was kind of funny and nice company. They continued gazing fondly at the planet in silence for a moment before a voice interrupted their peace.

_"Shuttles five and six now docking. Guests are reminded that Platform 1 forbids the use of weapons, teleportation and religion. Earth Death is scheduled for 15.39, followed by drinks in the Manchester Suite."_

They started moving down the corridors. Rose did feel a bit morbid, was this just some big party to go see a world burn. Not something she'd actually enjoy herself, but the Doctor was the designated driver and this was not the best place to get stuck on.

"World go boom party?" she asked.

"Pretty much, yeah," the Doctor said taking out his sonic screwdriver to open the door. "The great and the good are gathering to watch the planet burn."

"Let me guess the rich and for fun?"

"Exactly," he said grinning as the door went open. "Mind you, there going to be all sorts of people."

"People, aliens, humans," she summed up. "Tweedledum, Tweedledee. It's all the same in the end. We're aliens to them," Rose paused to look through the observation window again. "Still the planet looks the same as ever," she said quietly. The Earth, the home of her human persona and the family she left behind, her mother and Mickey.

"Yep, classic Earth. The trust kept all the land masses and bits in place. But now the money's run out, nature takes over!"

"How long has it got?"

"About half an hour," the Doctor said. "And then the planet gets roasted."

"Why are we here then?," Rose hesitated. "I can't imagine you finding the end of a civilization fun. Besides it's a fixed point in time," she added. Being her felt rather suffocating, it had been a while since she used her time senses. It would take some getting used to.

"Ah don't worry about that. It's empty!" he assured her. "They're all gone left."

"Who the hell are you," a blue colored man asked.

"Oh! That's quite a nice greeting," the Doctor snapped. "Thanks."

"But how did you get in?" the steward sputtered. "This is a maximum hospitably zone. The guests have disembarked! They're on their way any second now!"

"That's me. Look, I've got an invitation," the Doctor said holding up the psychic paper. "Look, there you see? It's fine, you see. The Doctor, plus one. I'm the Doctor and this is-" he hesitated. "Who are you?" he asked her.

"Rose Tyler," she said confidently. "The person you tried to wipe out. Ring any bells? Only it seems that regenerating in a baby and then using a Chameleon Arc and then reawakening as a Time Lady, gives you the personality of the human you were impersonating."

The Doctor swallowed loudly, this situation just exploded in his face. _Crap._

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**Second chapter is up and I hope you liked it! I want to thank everyone who reviewed in the last chapter they are very much appreciated. So please review and let me know what you think!**


	3. The Doctor and the Wolf

**I don't own anything you recognize, I am just writing this for fun.  
Many thanks to Veratican Justice for beta'ing this chapter for me and many thanks to the people who reviewed!.**

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**RUNNING IN PLACE III**

**The Doctor and The Wolf**

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"Where was I," the Doctor, grinning nervously at the steward, trying to regain some of his composure. This Time Lady, no, _Rose_ - he corrected mentally - was a bit of a pain. Woman always were difficult to deal with and Gaffifreyan females were no exception. They had the brains _and_ the hormones, a very dangerous combination. Especially since hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. "The Doctor plus one. I'm the Doctor, this is Rose Tyler. She's my plus one. That all right?" he asked expectantly, directing the question more at his companion than the steward.

"Well… Obviously," the steward said sounding a bit miffed. "Apologies, et cetera. If you're onboard, we'd better start. Enjoy," he quickly marched away from the brewing battlefield.

Since Rose was certainly a woman scorned and the Doctor wasn't helping. Still it was not in her nature to dwell on such things. It was silly of her to think that she would have been able to hide on Earth forever. The Time Lords had advanced recourses and technology, they could find anything, anyone, at anytime. It was a miracle on it's own that she had been able to hide from them for nineteen years. She just wished the Doctor had handled the situation differently. "Tell me Doctor, did the High Council send you?" she asked icily. "Only Time Lords that work for the Celestial Intervention Agency are allowed to use psychic paper as identification papers."

"Nope, I'm a freelancer," he replied, forcing a grin. He couldn't bring it over his hearts to tell Rose yet. Even if there was no more war to fight in, she would hate him for being the destroyer of Gallifrey. "But I solemnly swear to you, _Rose Tyler_, my TARDIS won't go anywhere near Gallifrey as long as you are a passenger on it," he promised, before touching her temple and implanting his pledge in her mind. It was the ultimate promise their kind could make, he had given her his binding and unbreakable word.

Rose hummed contently, as a feeling of relief washed over her. The telepathic contact felt so good, it was something she had missed in her human body and at the moment her mind craved it. Tentatively she brushed against the Doctor's temple, softly nudging his own mind.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, breathing loudly. "My mind just desired the contact, it has been so long. I hope you didn't mind me intruding."

"No," he said, biting back a moan. The light brush of their minds felt like heaven. It had been to quiet and empty up there since the day he ended it all. The Doctor shuddered, her soul was so beautiful, bright and intelligent. It was more than he deserved. But it made him curious, how far did her knowledge reach and could she keep up with him? "It's alright, just makes me wonder how clever you are. Do you know what species our host is?" he said leaning in her hand.

Rose opened her eyes, feeling a bit affronted. He had just seen a glimpse of her mind, was he questioning her intelligence. She eyed him gingerly, he was reminiscing. No, he was curious and challenging her. Rose smirked, she never backed down on a challenge.

"Let see, blue-skinned humanoids," she said racking her brain. The blue wasn't really much to go on and a lot of species were humanoid, but the markings on their skin narrowed it down. "Cresspallion?"

"Planet?"

"The planet has the same name as the species, but it's part of the Jaggit Brocade. Which is a conglomeration of planets and it's currently affiliated with the Scarlet Junction as Convex 56," she said feeling satisfied. Being knowledgeable was nice, it was something she forgot during her human years. She was a bit of a failure there, dropping out of school for a boy like Jimmy Stone.

The Doctor made a sound of approval, impressive. She had a good head on her shoulders, even for a Time Lady. "Nice, at least you can keep up with me," he added bragging a bit. Rose wanted to respond, but was interrupted by the steward's voice that resounded through the microphone.

"We have in attendance, the Doctor and Rose Tyler. Thank you! All staff to their positions," the steward clapped and a little army of Crespallions were scurrying around in order to get everything ready for the arrival of the other guests.

"The little ones tend to be female," she whispered in his ears. "In case you wanted to know," she added smugly. _Woman_, he thought fondly, rolling his eyes.

"Hurry now! Thank you, as quick as we can! Come along, come along! And now I introduce the next honored guest, representing the forest of Cheem, we have Trees. Namely Jabe, Lute and Coffa." The frosted glass doors at the end of the gallery opened and three humanoid trees stepped out, there were two males and one female. The woman was leading the group. "There will be an exchange of gifts representing peace,' the steward continued stiffly, eyeing the two Time Lords in distaste. Unwittingly they were still touching each other, standing in what appeared to be a lovers embrace. Joining minds was a very intimate gesture, but in reality they had barley stirred the surface of the visiting mind. Lost in the afterglow of company, they had forgotten how snug they were. "If you can keep the room circulating, thank you. Next from the solicitors Jolco and Jolco, the Moxx of Balhoon. And then next, from the Financial Family Seven, we have the Adherents of the Repeated Meme."

Rose beheld the many species that entered the gallery in utter fascination, she had never seen such a big variety of aliens in one room. Time Lords tended to be rather pompous, since they believed themselves to be the ultimate race. It was a cruel joke. A dark look crossed her face, they were just as bad as the Daleks when it came down to it. The Time Lords were at war, the universe was at war. She was brought out of her brooding when Jabe and her two companions approached them. "The gift of peace," she said presenting them with a pot with a small twig and handed it to the Doctor. "I bring you a cutting of my grandfather."

Embarrassed Rose backed away from the Doctor, nervously clutching her hands in little fists. They had been touching the entire time, he had seen all her superficial thoughts and worse, the Trees had seen them.

"Thank you," the Doctor grinned at Jabe, and then passed the plant nonchalantly to Rose. He was acting indifferent, like nothing had happened. "Yes, gifts… Erm…" he nervously cleared his throat, while patting down his pockets. Meanwhile Rose pulled out the little black pouch - that the TARDIS had given her - out of her pocket. "I give you in return-"

"A fob watch," Rose said swiftly, cutting him of mid sentence. They didn't need him doing something ridiculous, like the Doctor blowing air in their faces. "In remembrance of better times," she pulled out of the pouch a small and delicate silver watch.

"Thank you," Jabe said politely, she threw a lingering glance at the Doctor and then moved on.

"That was quick thinking," he said hoarsely, the tips of his rather large ears tinged a bit red. "Where did you get those watches?"

"Oh," she blushed. "The TARDIS provided them for me. Lovely ship you have, she's absolutely brilliant and don't get me started on the interior. I would love to get a look at her wiring," she gushed happily.

The Doctor let out a small chuckle at her enthusiasm. It was very easy to follow her in her raptures. He had seen it visible in her mind, her lively and lustrous view of life, but there was also a certain darkness. "The Moxx of Balhoon!" he cried out in delight as the little alien drew near.

"My felicitation on this historical happenstance. I give you the gift of bodily saliva," the small man greeted by spitting accurately in the Doctor's right eye.

"Thank you very much," Rose said trying to stifle a laugh, but failing miserably. "Please take this watch in remembrance of better times."

The Doctor rubbed the spit out of his eye and gave her a cool look as she burst out in a fit of giggles. "It's a shame not to share such a thoughtful gift with you Rose," he told her firmly, after which he wiped his saliva covered hand on her cheek.

"Gross," she cried out, frantically drying it off with her sleeve. "That's mean, Doctor!"

"Not gross, but a gift of bodily saliva!" he chirped. "Ah! The Adherents of the Repeated Meme," the Doctor grinned. "My _lady_ brings you the gift of _time_!" he told them as Rose presented the leader with a watch.

"Really," she whispered. "I think you need the gift of a good sense of humor."

"Oi, no need to be impolite," he snipped, completely ignoring the group of meme. Rose poked him softly in the back.

"A gift of peace in all good faith," the leader rasped, it held out a silver egg. The Doctor took it, before tossing it over to Rose. It seemed pretty useless anyway and trinkets weren't really his thing.

"And last but not least," the steward said. "Our very special guest. Ladies and Gentlemen, and Trees and Multiforms. Consider the Earth below. In memory of this dying world, we call forth the Last Human. The Lady Cassandra O'Brian."

The doors slid open to reveal a trampoline of skin with a smug of lipstick and a pair of eyes. The Doctor looked down eagerly to watch Rose's reaction, it was one of pure shock and a hint of confusion.

"Doctor," she faltered. "What part of the evolution did I miss, because I don't understand how a human can turn into that," she said pointing to the flesh and brain that represented Cassandra.

"Oh, now don't stare," the piece of skin said in a gaudy tone. "I know, I know it's shocking isn't it? I've had my chin taken away and look at the difference! Look how thin I am."

"On second thought Doctor, I know the answer to her disease; vainglorious," Rose said rolling her eyes. The Doctor choked on a laugh when she glanced at him and then looked pointedly at Cassandra, shaking her head. He smiled broadly at her.

"Thin and dainty! I don't look a day over two thousand. Moisturize me, moisturize me," the skin demanded, one of her lackeys lifted his canister and sprayed her.

Rose tuned out after that, the idle ranting of nonsense could possibly turn her brain into goo. However the other guests were hanging on the trampolines every word as she described the most outlandish creatures, that didn't live nor ever existed on the dying planet. Did know anything about Earth, aside from the fact that it was going to burn. Their ignorance made her blood boil, she needed air. Rose took off before she knew it, scampering out of the gallery.

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After some exploring she finally found the observation deck where the TARDIS had landed earlier. It was abandoned and silent, exactly what she wanted. She sat down on the top landing and hugged her knees to her chest, looking out somberly at the dying Earth. As a Time Lady she had the whole of time and space available to her at any moment, she possessed the knowledge of the history of life. Where the universe started and where it ended. Nothing was impossible for her, but everyone else forgets and they fade into nothingness. It made her sad. Because in the year 5.5/apple/26 everything that was left of the Earth was an outlandish story and a piece of skin with vanity issues.

"Rose?" the Doctor's voice called out. "Are you in there?"

"Yep," she responded softly. At least someone on board of this platform had knowledge of this most beloved planet, even if he was a kidnapper. It could have been worse.

"Aye aye!" he smiled, taking a seat on the opposite stairs. He look right at home, so relaxed. "So what do you think, impressive enough for you?"

"There's just so many aliens," she paused. "I mean I've never seen so many distinctive species in one place. Gallifreyans and humans look the same on the outside, it's only a variety of biological differences that sets us apart. But honestly Doctor is that the future of mankind becoming pieces of skin that live for thousand of years?" she turned her head from the ceiling, looking expectantly at the Doctor.

"Nah," the Doctor said in a reassuring tone. "I told you before right, the humans have left Earth. They evolved, unlike the piece of skin at who you have been shooting daggers," he said cheekily. The Doctor stared at her pensively, silently wondering how old his _hostage_ was. The body of a Time Lord never revealed it's owners true age. "Rose, how old are you?"

Rose was startled at his sudden inquiry. "Doctor, it's rude to ask a lady her age," she replied perky. Honestly she really didn't mind answering, she wasn't old in Gallifreyan standards. "I think I'm five hundred nineteen years old, but honestly I've lost count after the first three centuries," she told him absentmindedly. Time just passed so differently for them, since it was relative for the Doctor and her.

"Three hundred and eight one years younger than me Rose, you really are a baby," he laughed. "No wonder everything is new, you have seen nothing of the universe."

"Oi," she huffed. "I have been to a few places and it was my intention of traveling around the universe in my own TARDIS once I became three hundred, but then _stuff_ happened," she mumbled darkly, referring to the last Time War. The entire populations life was put on hold for _stuff_, some - including herself - were even forced to regenerate into warriors. She never had been a fighter or an advocate for violence. In her first two lives she was a scientist, an artist in the ways of technology. Gone, everything she had or was. She was nothing more than a deserter now, a dirty runaway. She missed home or the place she considered home, the current Earth. Gingerly she pulled out her old and primitive cellphone, there was no signal. "We're out of range… Well, only by a few billion years," Rose said softly.

"Tell you what," the Doctor said, standing up and plucking the phone out of her hands. "With a bit of jiggery pokery…" he muttered, taking off it's back.

"Is that a technical term, 'jiggery pokery'?" Rose asked biting her lip in amusement.

"Yeah, I came first in jiggery pokery, what about you?"

"Nah, failed hullabaloo."

"Oh," the Doctor chuckled as he fit a new battery in her phone. "There you go," he said after closing it up.

Eagerly Rose searched for Jackie Tyler's - her adoptive mother's number in her phonebook. She held her breath when the phone picked up.

_"Hello?"_

"Mum?" Rose said.

_"Oh, what is it? What's wrong?"_ Jackie complained. _"What have I done now? Oh, this red top's falling to bits! You should get your money back. Go on! There must be something, you never phone in the middle of the day!"_

Rose held back a sob. It was there, even in this madness her mother was still on Earth and exactly the same. Jackie Tyler, the woman she considered her mother and the one's heart she would break by turning back into herself.

_"Rose, sweetheart are you crying,"_ she asked worriedly through the phone.

"No mum, I'm all right. What about you?"

_"Yeah! Why wouldn't I be?"_

"No, um, I was just calling because I might be late home."

_"Is there something wrong?"_ Jackie hesitated, picking up on the slight difference in accents. _"You sound different."_

"No! I'm fine," Rose assured her hastily, glancing at the Doctor. "Top of the world!" Beside her the Doctor laughed at her joke.

"Think that's amazing, you want to see the bill," he told her.

"That was five billion years ago," Rose said slowly. "I know it was possible, but I just called my mum five billion years ago," she giggled.

"I did tell you before I was impressive," he boasted, puffing his chest out a bit.

Slowly Rose started to reach with her hands towards his temples, she peered keenly into his eyes waiting for approval. The Doctor nodded softly. The moment her fingers touched his temples, a feeling of gratitude filled all the corners off is mind, chasing of all the darkness inhabiting his inner self. He bathed into the feeling, it was like this girl could chase all his nightmares away and he never wanted to lose her. He blinked in wonder, that was fast, he had gotten attached already.

Suddenly Rose let go as the whole platform shuddered and lurched. The Doctor looked at her and then around the room. "That's not supposed to happen," he said sounding excited. Fantastic, an adventure. He couldn't wait to start running together with Rose. Things finally had gotten interesting.

_"Honored guests may be may be reassured that the gravity pockets may cause slight turbulence, thanking you._" the steward's voice resounded.

"That didn't feel like a gravity pocket," Rose said firmly. "And I know gravity pockets."

"You're absolutely right, they don't feel like that," the Doctor said taking her hand. "Come on, let's go."

**.  
****.**

"This is the Bad Wolf scenario-" Rose twisted her head around lightning fast, her body started shaking at the mention of **_Bad Wolf_**. She looked over to see the Moxx of Balhoon talking to the Face of Boe in the Manchester Suite. Coincidence, she told herself.

"We already established that it isn't a gravity pocket," the Doctor said walking straight over to the control panel. "What do you think Jabe?" he asked as he noticed the tree walking up behind him. "Listen to the engines, they've pitched up about thirty hertz, is that dodgy or what?"

"It's the sound of metal. It's doesn't make any sense to me," the tree shrugged.

"Where's the engine room?"

"I don't know," she began looking puzzled. "But the maintenance duct is just behind our guest suite, I could show you. And your wife?" Jabe hinted, eyeing their joined hands. The Doctor let go immediately, becoming a bit red in the neck.

"She's not my wife," he corrected bashfully. Rose's cheeks had also gained a bit of color, she had never been married before.

"Partner?" Jabe continued sounding a bit more hopeful, she found the Doctor an attractive man. It was almost a wonder he still existed.

"No."

"Concubine."

"Nope."

"Prostitute," she tried after a final glance at Rose.

"Excuse me, do you mind?" she cried out insulted. She was a Time Lady, they didn't swan of with men to shag. You didn't even need to consume a marriage on Gallifrey to validate it, children were loomed with their parents TNA and marriage matches were made out of pure political standing. "I'm his hostage, freaking man kidnapped me," she huffed. "So I don't know in which forrest were you bloomed_ tree_, but on my home planet that word is considered insulting. We do not do that," she said hotly.

The Doctor chuckled silently at her outburst, grinning widely at her prideful stance. Gallifreyan females had the brains, the hormones and their pride, Rose was no exception on the rule.

"Now don't start a fight, she's only curious," he warned. "So are you coming with us," the Doctor said motioning between Jabe and him.

"Yep," she said popping her lips. "Because I do understand the language of metal and wiring," she said dreamily.

"I know, saw it all up there," he said touching her temple. "Brilliant mind you have, you just love it don't you?"

"Indeed I do," Rose grinned. "Jabe, please lead the way!"

**.  
****.**

The Doctor and Jabe entered the maintenance corridor followed by Rose who was trailing behind. _The heart of the shell, she though merrily_. This place was beautiful. Carefully she traced the wire circuit of the platform, nothing could beat a TARDIS but this place wasn't bad at all. It was completely automatic, no facilities here and everything was controlled by the computer. A bit hazardous to leave everything to a computer that wasn't even sentiment.

"Unsinkable," she heard the Doctor ask.

"If you like. The nautical metaphor is appropriate," Jabe replied, she didn't look comfortable at all. Not a big shocker, a tree in the middle of cables was like a fish in the desert.

"You're telling me. I was on board another ship once. They said that was unsinkable… I ended up clinging to an iceberg, it wasn't half cold," he said distracted. Rose snorted at the mental image of the Doctor hanging on an iceberg, it must have been a sight.

"Oi, do you think that's funny," the Doctor said indigantly.

"Yes," the blond haired girl laughed. "Because you stepped on a ship you knew was going to sink. But seriously, if there is nobody on this platform and we get in trouble there's no one to help us out?"

"I'm afraid not," Jabe said.

"Fantastic," the Doctor replied grinning that manic smile Rose had started associating with him, Mr. Hyde was in the house. He started moving again.

"I don't understand," Jabe said to Rose. "In what way is THAT fantastic?"

"Oh, don't mind him," she said dismissively. "There something wrong with him, he likes looking for trouble and saving he day. So no worries." The two woman started following the Doctor, not noticing the spider that crept out of his hiding place.

"So, tell me Jabe. What's a tree like you doing in a place like this," he asked curiously.

"Yeah, no offense but you don't look really comfortable in a place like this," Rose added, trying to make some friendly conversation with the tree that insulted her. Every instinct in the girl's body was telling her to be condescending, because this plant had insulted a Time Lady one of the most superior races of the universe. But Rose wasn't like that, even if those kind of reactions belonged to her primal being. The Time Lords were a proud race, nothing could change that and they would always hold themselves with pride.

"Respect for the Earth," replied the tree.

"Oh, come on, Everyone on this platform's worth zillions."

"Well… Perhaps it's a case of having to be seen at the right occasions," she yielded.

"In case you share princes drop?" the Doctor asked. "I know you lot. You've got massive forests everywhere, roots everywhere, and there's always money in land."

"All the same. You respect the Earth as family. So many species evoked from that planet. Mankind is only one. I'm another," Jabe told proudly. "My ancestors were transplanted form the planet down below. And I'm a direct descendant of the tropical rainforest."

Rose whistled impressed. "That's amazing, then you probably wish you could have seen them back in the day," she mused dreamily. "I never was able to visit, no tropical rainforest in London, but the pictures of if were beautiful. The Doctor could probably take me though," she blurted out.

Jabe looked curiously between the Doctor and Rose, the two of them were fiddling with the controls and trying to ignore the elephant in the room. The female gave off the same vibe as the Doctor, but it was impossible they were of the same species. His own existence was a miracle on it's own. "And what about your ancestry?"

"Ah," Rose cleared her throat uncomfortable. "Nothing fancy like you Jabe, just off a simple planet far away from here. Haven't been home in ages," she replied telling the half-truth.

"What about you Doctor, Perhaps you could tell a story or two… Perhaps a man only enjoys trouble when there's nothing else left."

The Doctor didn't answer, while nervously glancing at Rose who had a unreadable expression on her face.

"I scanned you earlier," Jabe continued. "The metal machine had trouble identifying your species, refused to admit you existence. And even when it named you, I wouldn't believe it. But it was right."

The Doctor had stopped scanning, a deep sadness and fear reflected in his eyes. Rose wasn't looking him in the eyes and he really didn't want her to find out this way, but he couldn't find his voice. It had been nice to be able to pretend, that he wasn't alone. Since he wasn't, the sound of silence was gone, but they were the last lord and lady of time.

"I know where you're from. Forgive me for intruding, but it's remarkable you even exist. I just want to say… How sorry I am," Jabe place a comforting hand on his arm, but the Doctor wrung loose.

"Rose," he rasped, feeling helpless with tears blinking in his eyes. The Doctor tried to reach for her, but she backed away.

"What do you mean remarkable that he even exists," Rose demanded harshly, a storm brewing in her eyes. Her stare was so cold that Jabe felt it through her leaves. "Time Lords are a superior race, we do not die out," she said darkly.

"Impossible," the tree breathed. "Two of you, but after-"

"It's gone Rose, our planet it's gone. The war-" the Doctor cut Jabe off in his broken voice. "We're… You and me, the last of the Time Lords," he cried.

Rose backed away, she couldn't deal with this now, she needed space. This isn't what she wanted. She just wanted to get away from the war, not her people. Everyone, _Romanadvoratrelundar_, gone! She swallowed loudly. "I can't deal with this right know," she said. "So fix this and then we'll talk," she said before running away.

The Doctor's hearts broke a little after watching her flee.

.

.

Rose was running away, again. It never seemed to stop and she just left the Doctor. The broken look on his face made her hearts shatter, she should have stayed with him, but she couldn't. Gallifrey and it's people, lost.

"Please let me in," she cried banging on the blue TARDIS doors. "Please," she whispered. This little mad box was all that was left of home. The TARDIS hummed disapprovingly, her doors would remain tightly shut. This girl needed to help her thief. "I can't," Rose responded tearfully. Innocent people would die, the ship buzzed showing her images of Jabe and the Moxx of Balhoon burning. "I can't!" she repeated forcefully banging on the ship's outer shell.

Even if there were no Time Lords left, if was forbidden to meddle in fixed points in time. Saving them could destroy the whole of reality. _Time is flux_, the TARDIS fumed, nudging her to look at the timelines.

"Fine," Rose conceded. She closed her eyes reluctantly and took a peek at the timelines off all guests on board this ship. It took a lot of effort to maintain this connection, but after a few tries she had the most prominent timelines. The Face of Boe had the longest thread she had ever seen and he felt so wrong. Curiously Rose delved a little deeper, she gasped. He was impossible, a living fixed point in time but his life was ending, not today though. She took a deep breath and looked farther, the steward was dead. However nothing that happened here today, aside of the Earth burning was fixed. "Alright," Rose admitted grudgingly. "I'll help, but only because I'm not a god and these people do deserve a chance to live."

It was more than the Time Lords ever had.

The TARDIS hummed in approval, mentally patting the girls head. She was going to steal this Time Lady and keep her forever.

"Alright then love, help find me the Doctor!"

**.**  
**.**

"Doctor," Rose shouted as she was darting in the direction of the ventilation shaft. The TARDIS was guiding her with mental directions.

"Rose," the Doctor smiled relieved to see her. "The whole place is burning up," he said smiling manically. "Cassandra's fault," he said before taking her hand and dragging her along.

"The bitchy trampoline," Rose scrunched up her nose in distaste. "Any other casualties aside from the steward?"

"How do you know about the steward?" Jabe asked jogging behind them.

"Timelines, his was cut of abruptly. Which means dead by murder or an accident."

The three of them emerged in a boiling room with a trio of large turbine fans spinning at full speed.

"Oh, and guess where the switch is," the Doctor said in annoyance. Rose followed his gaze to the other side of the beam under the fans.

"Heat levels - rising," the computer warned. The Doctor ran over to the nearest wall and pulled down the switch, the fans began to slow down. _"External temperature - five thousand degrees."_

The Doctor let of of the switch and stared desperately at the turbines. Rose saw Jabe reach for the lever and jumped to grab it before her.

"Get out of here Jabe," Rose demanded. "You are made of wood and I won't die, I'll just regenerate. So run!"

The tree looked hesitant, she wanted to help and do something. "I will bring the other guests to safety?" she asked uncertainly looking at the Doctor for confirmation. He nodded in approval, with one last look at the two Gallifreyans, she turned on her heel and ran.

"Stop wasting time, Time Lord," Rose said grinning. "Cause I don't want to regenerate, I quite like this body of mine."

"Right you are Time Lady," the Doctor said cheekily.

**.  
****.**

The passage to the other side of the ventilation room was a struggle, but the Doctor had managed it in record time in the extreme circumstances. By the time they got back to the Manchester Suite, everyone was still alive but badly shaken. Rose sagged in relief.

"Are you alright?" Jabe asked running towards them.

"Fine," the Doctor said and Rose hummed in agreement. "I'm full of ideas. I'm bristling with them. Idea number one - teleportation through five thousand degrees needs some kind of feed. Idea number two - this feed must be nearby," he said striding over the the ostrich egg and chucked it on the floor. Rose picked up the feed.

"Idea number three," she cockily continued the Doctor's speech. "If you're as clever as the Doctor or me, then a teleportation feed can reversed," she said twisting the knob. The Time Lord looked a bit put out by Rose stealing his spotlight, but she only gave him her signature smile by poking her tongue between her teeth. It made a pitching sound and in a blue light Cassandra appeared before them.

"Ah, you should have seen their little alien faces," she cackled foully. "Oh…" she said in a small voice. She was back on the burning platform between the aliens.

"The Last Human," the Doctor said bitterly.

"So… You passed my little test," she stuttered a bit flustered. "Bravo. This makes you eligible to join the… Er… The human club!"

"Someone died Cassandra. You murdered him… Tried to murder all these people here."

"That depends on you definition of 'people'," she said slyly. "And that's enough of a technicality to keep you lawyers dizzy for centuries. Take me to court then, Doctor! And watch me smile, and cry and flutter-"

"And creak?" Rose asked gleefully, every ounce of sympathy had burned out of her body together with the Earth.

"And what?" she asked confused.

"Creak," she repeated as the noise became more obvious . "You're creaking."

"What? Ah! Ah! I'm drying out!" she wailed as her skin dried out, getting tighter and tighter as her hide lost all color. Her eyes became bloodshot. "Oh, sweet heavens! Moisturize me! Moisturize me! Where are my surgeons? My lovely boys! It's too hot!"

"You raised the temperature," the Doctor stated flatly, red blotched started covering her completely.

"Have pity! Moisturize me! Oh, Doctor!" she cried out terrified. "I'm… too… _young_."

"No," Rose said coldly. "Everything has it's time and everything dies. You are over two millennia, you're time has ran out." With a sickening crack, the remains of Cassandra bursted apart. Rose looked completely unmoved.

.

.

The Earth was gone, just like Gallifrey and she missed it both times. Still the blue planet had been able to run out it's natural course. The Shinning World of the Seven Systems was lost in war, it had faded before it's time and all it's people gone, save two. In the reflection of the window, she could see the Doctor watching her. But she didn't speak until he took her hand, he pinched it consolatory.

"The end of the Earth," she said sadly, tears streaming down her face. "It's gone. And we were to busy saving ourselves from that human," she spat. "All those years… all that history and it's just gone, just like-" she choked, pulling the Doctor in an embrace. The whole of the situation overtook her again. The Doctor was all that was left of their species.

"I'm so sorry Rose," he said remorsefully. "I never wanted you to find out this way. Come on let's go."

"I'm hungry," she mumbled in his jacket. "Chips."

"Okay," he said giving her a small smile. "Chips for Rose Tyler."

"Wolf," she said softly.

"What?"

"My name," she said coyly, whilst she was wiping the tears out of her face. "The Time Lords called me Wolf."

"Nice to meet you Wolf," the Doctor said softly.

"It's also very nice to meet you Doctor."


End file.
